Shadows Born Apart
by Steathhunter4l
Summary: A retelling of the first book, with one major change, Durzo Blint is a woman, just an idea i have been toying with and decided to write, other changes may occur as the story unfolds. Rated M for Mature content and Themes


Shadows Born Differently

Azoth crawled into the narrow crawlspace beneath the tavern, silently damning the gods who had made so much of the Warrens to be on top of marshlands, or maybe he should damn the builders for being so foolish.

It was worth it though, the sun was far off and the tavern seemed empty apart from the owner, and coins were like too have dropped down through the gaps in the floor, and it was easy to find a few coppers down here, as far as he was aware no one else new about this spot.

He prowled forward his trained eyes darting back and forth looking for anything shiny, dues were tomorrow, four coppers and he didn't have a one, last time he had nearly died from the bite of a White Wolf Spider, and hadn't come back all week since then out of fear, but he had overheard that the owners tomcat had eaten the Spider, killing it subsequently.

He grabbed his first copper, and realized from the sound of metal on dark wood, that someone had to be inside other than the tavern keeper, he tilted his head up slightly, he saw the source.

There was a woman sitting there drinking, In the Warrens you had to judge a mark quickly, and even with quick hands as his you were bound to be caught stealing eventually, and you needed to be able to tell the difference between the merchants who would hit you so you wouldn't try there stall again, and the ones who would beat you so badly you would never get the chance.

And with those quick eyes Azoth judged the women in an instant, finding her rather sad and lonely looking, before he fully took in the huge sword and dark clothes, sad and lonely perhaps, dangerous more importantly.

"How could you abandon me?" The Woman muttered soft enough that Azoth could barely make out the words; she had a tankard in one hand, and was staring into something in the other. "How could you just leave me after all these years? Is it about Vonda?" She whispered to herself.

Something above came down hard on the boards above him, sending his face into a puddle of water and Azoth had to scrounge breath to stop from inhaling water.

"Why Durzo Blint, you never fail to surprise," the weight above Azoth said. Nothing was visible of the man through the gaps except a drawn dagger. He must have dropped from the rafter. "Hey, I'm all for calling a bluff, but you should have seen Vonda when she realized you weren't coming to save her, bitch nearly made me cry."

The Lanky woman turned. Her voice almost breaking, "I killed siz men tonight, you sure you want to make it seven?"

Azoth tried to understand what was being said, the Woman was Durzo Blint? She was the best Wetboy in the city, or Wetgirl as the case was, some of the others used to joke about it, but stopped quickly when they realized if they continued, they wouldn't wake up.

"Blint, you'd be like to cut your own head off, in the time I've been watching you've had six-

"Eight flagons and four in a different tavern."

Azoth grabbed his third coin quickly, he had to get out of here, two killers were about to go after each other directly above him, he didn't want to stick around.

"You're bluffing." The newcomer said, but there was fear in his voice.

"I don't Bluff," Durzo Blint said. "Why don't you invite your friends in? or are they not so foolish as you."

The man put two fingers to his lips, and whistled, Azoth didn't see the woman move, just heard the gurgle of blood that the whistle ended in, the thump of the man's body pushing his head back down.

Another few moments, a couple of rings of steel and more thumps and Azoth knew it was over. Even then he waited, too scared to move.

Had they all killed each other? The thought chilled Azoth, he had seen someone murdered twice before, but never so many so quickly.

With all the courage of a thousand warriors Azoth managed to track down ten coppers, more then double what he needed, and got ready to crawl out the first chance he got.

He moved forward, and his path was blocked suddenly, he realized what it was, it was Durzo Blints huge sword, stabbed into the ground in front of him, and the legendary killer was staring him straight in the eyes.

"Never speak of this to anyone, Understand? I've done far worse than kill children." She said.

Azoth trembled.

She turned, the sword returning to its scabbard.

A few minutes passed, and when Azoth escaped the passage way he didn't stop running until he got back to his Guilds Den.

He knew she was watching him.


End file.
